If you’ve ever been fortunate enough to visit the lush forests of Algonquin Park, you probably think of it as a never-ending expanse of nature.

For the most part, you’re right. But tucked deep within those trees is something giant, mechanical and man-made — and it all has to do with space. Introducing the Algonquin Radio Observatory, Canada’s largest radio telescope. It has a 150 ft. antenna mounted on a massive satellite dish, and helps facilitate communication in space and pinpoint astronomical targets.

Not what you expected in the remote, quiet areas of Algonquin, eh?

The radio observatory isn’t new; it was actually built in 1965. The reason you probably haven’t heard about it before is because ownership of the telescope changed hands about a decade ago, and the couple who purchased it decided to open it up to the public (it even has its own hotel). But we’re telling you about it now because the site might become the future home to a 20 km elevator to space. Yes, that’s right, one of Ontario’s parks might soon be home to an intergalactic gateway.